The number of users of mobile Internet through the 4G technology in the first half of this year rose by 33.7% to 503,900 compared with the end of 2016. The largest part of these – 442,900 – used smartphones for the purpose, while 61,000 used dedicated access such as modems/ cards/ USBs. In the period, the number of mobile broadband Internet users, based on 3G and 4G technology and dedicated access, increased by 12.3% to over 2.1 million, IPN reports.
The data collected by the national ICT regulator ANRCETI from the three providers of mobile communications networks and services - Orange Moldova, Moldcell and Moldtelecom – Unite – show the number of persons who used broadband Internet based on the 3G technology, through telephone or dedicated access, grew by 7% to 1.6 million. The number of users of mobile Internet through dedicated access rose by 2% to over 309,900. Consequently, the mobile broadband Internet access penetration rate per 100 people increased by 6.6% to about 60%.
In the first half of this year, the users of broadband mobile Internet generated a total traffic volume of over 31.1 million GB, by about 25% more than in January-June 2016, those who used smartphones – of 9.6 million GB (+over 75%), while those who used mobile Internet through dedicated access - of 21.4 million GB (+10.4%).
The market share by revenues of the three mobile broadband Internet service providers at the end of the first half of 2017 remained practically unchanged. Orange Moldova had a market share of 60.9%, Moldcell of 27.7%, while Moldtelecom of 11.4%.
The 4G services were launched in November 2012.The 4G technology ensures increased data transfer speeds of up to 300 Mbps. At the start of 2017, Moldova’s territory was 94% covered by 4G services, while the population in proportion of 97%.
